Engine starter



June 25, 1929. w. L. MOGRATH 1,718,424

ENGINE STARTER Original Filed Nov. 16, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 9 V I jrz (/670/0 7" 29 3532 724% of ./f 32.126

25, 1929. w. L' McGRATH 1,718,424

ENGINE STARTER Original Filed Nov. 13,1925 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 25, 1929. w. L. McGRATH ENGINE STARTER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed Nov. 16, 1925 Viz/6721b?" aim; 6.123%

1/0 (I w A v w 55 fifcicss Patented June 25,- 1929.

"UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

WILLIAM L. meean'rm-"or mum, nnw YORK, Assrenon 'ro ncmrsn macnmn COMPANY, OF ELMIRA, NEW YORK,.A CORPORATION OF'NEW YORK.

ENGINE STARTER.

App1icationfiled liovember 16, 1925, Serial No. 69,491, Renewed November 8, 1928.

My invention relates to engine starting ap paratus for the starting of engines, such as internal combustion engines, andmore particularly, but not necessarily, airplane enradio generator. as a component part of the apparatus and mounted in position thereon and ready for operation at the will of the operator by either the manual means or the power means, whereby in case the apparatus is usedon an airplane in' difiiculty (as for instance after a forced landingdue to exhaustion of fuel for vthe engine) the necessary electric current may be produced for radio or wireless signals for the purpose of giving the location of the airplane. and obtainin apparatus and the .motor' and generator, I

prefer to employ inertia means, such as a fly-' wheel, and also to. provide means for discond nectingthe motor when the manual meansis operated for engine starting purposes or for rotating the generator.

' In the embodiment of my invention as herein shown for convenience, my starting apparatus comprises-a transmission or drive ineluding a driving member j adapted to engage a member of the en ine to be started, such as the'crank shaft t ereof, and power means such as an electric motor,'and manuals ly operated means. The

the manual means are com ined in the same a paratus and usable separately or conjointl i desired, and the motor is so connected wit 'the transmission that it is automatically disconnected therefrofn' when the manual means 40 alone is operated. Also, as herein shown, I

employ an inertia means, such as a flywheel,

which is connected with the apparatus and also the motor and the generator, although-in the broadest aspect of my invention such in ertia means may be dispensed with. "This generator is normally operatively disconnect-- ed fromthe apparatusbut adapted to be connected therewith by the operator whenever occasion arises for the generation of current forthe radio or wireless mechanism. Theinertia-means is then of advantage in operating 7 the generator inasmuch as it permits of a tion of my wer means and,

more steady and uniform speed of rotation to be imparted to the generator from the manual means. I

,The driving member and the transmission or actuat ng means between it and the motor and the manual means may, for the purposes of thepresent invention, be of any suitable construction and the same in their details fer to employ the practical construction of apparatus as shown in the drawings and as hereinafter described in detail. F

In the drawings, Fig, 1 is a. vertical secapparatus (,on' an irregularsection line), the manual means being for convenience shown in a position at right angles to its normal position; Fig. 2, a top plan VIGW; Fig.

3, a section on the line A-A of Fig. 1; Figs. 4

g and 5 wiring diagrams of the electrical cir- 20 assistance.- In connection with the startmg cuits; and Figs. 6, 7 and 8 detail sections of modified forms of the means -for operating the clutch'between the generator and inertia evice. Describing the particular embodiment of my invention as herein shown, the drive or constitute no part of such invention but I pretransmission that I have chosen to illustrate and prefer .to employ includes the drive proper and reduction gearing. First describmg the drive, the same islocatedwithin a main casing 1 which is suitably supported as by being detachably connected with the crank case 2 of the engine, a small portion of which .is illustrated. ithin a bushing 3 in the casing, there rotates adriving barrel 4 and a shell 5 concentrically arranged therewitliin and providing an annular space to receive a yielding driving connection which is, here in the form of a friction clutch 6, composed of two sets of clutch plates 'splined respectively to the'interior exterior of the shell. The proper pressure for the plates is provided by a "series of springs 7 located in such annular s ace and such pressure is regulated by the ag'ustable nut 8 screwin onto the outer end of t e shell.

The thrust 0 these springs tends to force the shelloutwardly whereby the ring 9 clamps the .plates together by forcing them against.- .the ring 10 which bears against the annular internal flange 11 within the shell.

Theshell 5 isprovided with internal long on which is threaded a screw lead threads 12 of the bariel and the shaft 13 constituting the main portion of the" driving member whose other principal portion is a clutch member 14 that is adapted to engage the engine member, such as the corresponding clutch element 15 forming aipart of-j'or'secured'to' a rotatable part of the engine, in the present instance the crank shaft 16 thereof. The clutch element 14 is a disk having clutch jaws 17- adapted to engage complementary clutch jaws 18 on the engine member and provided with a hub or sleeve portion 19 which has a bearing fit within shell 5 and which is splined'on the exterior of the screw shaft 13 whereby the clutch element 14 and such shaft 13 have a relative longitudinal movement of limited degree independent of each other. The clutch element 14 is held in its outward position with a yielding pressure by a coil spring 22, which bears at its outer end against the bottom of sleeve 19 and at its inner end against the bottom of a socket formed in the outer end of the screw shaft. The driving member is operated and controlled manually by a rod 23 which passes centrally, through the driving member and the main 'shaft'24 of the reduction gearing.

This rod terminates ina handle 25 at a point exterior of the apparatu si n the present instance being located adjacent the exterior of the casing of the manually operated means hereinafter described. I

Next describing the reduction gearing, the same is contained within the main casing and a cover plate 1 by which such gearing is supported and in which it has its bearings. A stationary internal gear 29 is secured to the casing 1 and with the same meshes a series of planetary gears'or pinions 31 journaled between two parallel plates 32 and 33 which are spaced apart by suitable lugs 34 and held together by screws 35. The inner plate 33 is connected with the driving barrel 4, in the present instance, by being s lined thereto. This plate 33 has a hub provided with longitudlnal grooves adapted to receive oppositely extending pins' 38 whereby such shaft and plate are drivingly but detachably connected' together.

The gears 31 mesh with a central pinion 39 here formed as a part of the-hub 40 of a gear 41 mounted to-rotate freely upon the shaft 24. This gear 41 meshes with a pinion 43 which is here formed upon the hub 44 of a bevel ear 45 mounted to rotate freely upon the shaft 46.

The right hand end of shaft 24 (Fig. 1) isjournalled inbearings 48 incasing plate 1 and extends therethrough, and to such rojecting end a bevel pinion 49 is secured. his pinion forms a part of the manual means and the same extends] into a small casing 50 secured in suitable manner-to plate 1. In

Next describing the inertia means, the same comprises-a flywheel and'operating connections with the bevel gear 45 and with the prime mover whichis here an electric motor,

such inertia means being contained within and supported bya ;cas'ing.58 which is detachably secured to main casingl in suitable manner as by screws- 59. The flywheel -com prises a rimfiQhaving the desired predetermined mass orweight, a web 61 and a hub62.

This hub is drivingly secured. as-by splining to a vertical shaft 63 which is journalle'dfin bearings 64in the casing 58 'and'lias a bevel pinion 63 meshing with'gear 45.1 The fly-. wheel is held in' proper positionon its shaft and with respect to its bearings by a nut 65'; I

The electric motor 70 has an armature shaft 69 whose upper end bears in and isv sup-" ported by the bearings 70? in the top of the motor frame and whose lower end is received byand bears in the upper socketed end of the shaft 63. The motor frame has a flange 74 resting upon and secured to the top; of thecasing 58 in suitable manner as by screws 75.

The motor is adapted, when energized, to be operatively connected through an automatically operating mechanism to the inertia means and to the actuating means of the driving member and to be automatically disconnected therefrom when the manual means is operated. This mechanism is-here in the form of a shell '100' threaded upon the threads 101 of the armature shaft and normallyslightly separated from but adapted to engage and clamp the Web of the flywheel. A coil spring 102 tends to hold'this shell in the normal position shown, the threads 101 having a long lead to permit this spring to restore .the shell after its operation.

The construction as thus far particularized, from the driving member to the electric motor inclusive, does not of itself involve my present invention but is selected for illustration as an adequate device with which the hereinafter-described parts may be combined in a desirable embodiment of my hereinaftcrclaimed invention.

' p The casing 58 has an extension 58 on which 1s mounted and to whlch is secured in sultable manner as by screws 103 a radio generator 104 which is here vertically disposed. The upper end of thearmatu-re shaft 105 of this generator bears in and is supported by hear ings' 106 in the top of the generator frame suitable point in itstrain of transmission and by suitable and efiiclent means. In the present instance, such connecting means comprises gearing cooperating directly with theflywheel and are'under the control of the operator.

The generator gearing comprising a' wide faced gear 108' splined to the armature shaft 105 and adapted tomnesh with a pinion 109 mounted to slide upona stud 110 rising from the casing 58 and to be actuated manually by'the rod 111. The lower end of this-rod has a head 112 detachably engaging the pinion 109 by being slipped through the slot 113 and entering the horizontal slot 114. A

spring 115 holds the rod in normal or inoperative position. The pinion 109 when shiftwhen such flywheel is rotated either by the ed downwardly is thereby meshed withthe gearteeth 116 here formed directly on the periphery ofthe flywheel 60, with the result that motor or by the manual means, generator will be o'perated.

Describing a cycle of operation of the apparatus and beginning with a starting operation utilizing the motor as the source of enor' both, the

ergy, when the motor is energized the rotation of its armature shaft will automatically advance the shell 100 by' screw action and against the tension of spring 102 into clamping engagement with the web of the flywheel,

thereby operatively connecting the motor and the transmission of the apparatus. The shaft 63 and the reduction gearing and the connecting mechanism and the driving member will thereby be rotated, such parts in order being the'gears and pinions 45, 44, 43, 41,.

. 39, 31 and 29, barrel '4, clutch 6, shell 5 and screw shaft 13. The manual means-is incidentally rotated. When the flywheel has reached the desired R. P. M., the operator operates the rod 23 and clutches the driving member to the engine member, thereby cranking the engine. Whenthe engine operates under its own power, the excess speed of rotation thereof automatically causes the driving member to be screwed backwardly to normal or disengaged position.

Now describing the operation of starting,

the engine by manual means, the operator appliesanordinary'crank to shaft 52, thereby rotating the shaft 24 through bevel gears 57 and 49 and rotating the plate 33 and consequently the drive roper. Also the plane-.

tarygearing and tie parts connecting be tween such gearing and the inertia means are rotated but the motor is not rotated because it' is disconnected therefrom in this direction of driving. When the flywheel has reached the desired R. P. M. the operator operates the rod 23 and the engagement of the driving member and its subsequent disengagement occurs drive.

as in the case of the motor During the starting operation by either the motor or manual means, the generator'is idle because itis disconnected 'operatively from the apparatus, being in the manual position as shown in Fig. 1. If it is desired to utilize the generator, the operator, depresses rod 111 and thereby operatively engages the flywheel with the generator through gearing 116, 109 and 108. Either the motor or the manual means is now utilized and operated, with the result that the generator is rapidly rotated and current generated- When the motor is the source of ener y, it will become automaticall connected wIththe-flywheel in the manner' iereinbefore explained and will thereby drive the generator. When the manual means is the source of energy, it will'rotate the flywheel with'which it is always operatively connected and the motor will then be operatively disconnected and its load will thereby be eliminated."

In Figs. 6,7 and 8 are shown different forms 0 manual means for operating the connecting gear between the generator and the flywheel. Referring to Fig. 6, the operating rod is made in two sections 117 and 118 having a sliding fit and relative longitudinal movement, one with respect to the other. The section 117 has at'its lower end ter of these teeth, the operating rod will act in effect as the solid rod of Fig. 1 but. in case inability of the-section 118 to be depressed further than the longitudinal clearance between such pinion 109 and the flywheel, the downward or inward movement of section 117 will continue, compressing spring 123,

whereupon the spring latch 124 which nor-, mallyengages groove 125 in section 117 will engage the other groove 126 thereof and thereb hold the same in operated position. The pinion 109 is thereby held against gear teeth 116 with spring'pressureand thenwhen the flywheel is rotated by either one of the 'two sources of power and register between the teeth obtained, the spring 123 will snap such pinion into full mesh with the flywheel.

, In Fig. 7 is shown another form for the same purpose but employing a" continuous operating rod 127. The lower end of this rod terminates in a head 128engaging below the slotted flange 129 and an angular or polygonal shaped stem 130 which is adapted to engage a hole 131 of similar shape provided in the pinion 109. A spring 132 holds the head 128 normally against flange 129 and there- 105 of abutting or the teeth and the consequent fore the stem and hole out of engagement.

- In case of abutting of the teeth of the pinion t 109 and of the flywheel, the operator will rotate rod 127 s11 htly, thereby correspondingly rotating pinion 109 until register of such teeth is obtained, whereupon when the rod is further depressed, full mesh is obtained and maintained by the latch asin Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 shows still another modification according to which the wide faced gear 108 is dispensed with and a narrow faced gear 133 is substituted. The operating rod is the same as in Fig. 7, but the gear 133 is so related to the flywheel gear and pinion 109, that thelatter shall mesh first with the flywheel and then with the gear133, so that after such meshing the pinion 109 can be -rotated by the flywheel and thereby assure mesh with gear 133 although at the first operation, abutting occurs between the teeth of pinion 109 and gear 133. The latches are provided'because the parts must be maintained in their ad justed positions notwithstanding different angularpositions that the apparatus may assume, which are various in the case of airplane engines.

Fig. 4 shows the wiring diagram when a starting motor is used, according to which the motor is indicated diagrammatically at M, the starting switch at S, the battery at B, and the grounds in the usual manner. The battery in the present instance is shown as charged by a generator indicated at G which generator is not otherwise shown but may be the usual battery charging generator driven in the usual manner by the engine, although a precharged battery, that is a battery charged otherwise than by such engine and generator may be used.

Fig. 5 is a diagram of a simple form of apparatus and wiring when a radio generat-or is used, according to which diagram the antennae or aerial is indicated at A, the induction coil at I. (l, the condenser at C, the.

radio generator at R. G.., and the spark gap at GAP. It will be understood that the current-produced by this generator may be used a drive having a drivingmember adapted to engage and crank a member of the en ine to be started, and means for actuating suc driving member while the driving member is disconnected from the engine member, in combinamember while the -driving member is disconnected from the engine member, in combination with a generator forming a component part of such apparatus and operatively connectable with and adapted to be connected with and disconnected therefrom.

3. An engine starter apparatus including a drive comprising a driving member adapted to engage and crank a member of the engine to.

be started but normally disconnected therefrom, and means for actuating such driving member, in combination with a generator normally operatively disconnected from such apparatus but adapted to be operatively connected therewith'at the will of the operator;

4. An engine starter apparatus including a drive comprising a drivin member adapted to engage and crank a member of the engine to be started but normally disconnected therefrom, and manually operated means for actuating such driving member, in combination with a generator forming a component part of such apparatus and normally operatively disconnected from the manually operated means but adapted to be operatively connected there with at the will of-the operator.

5. An engine starter apparatus including a drive having a driving member adapted to engage and crank a member of theengine to be started but normally disconnected therefrom, and means for actuating such driving member,'in combination with a generator operatively connectable with and adapted to be driven by said actuating means and capable of being detachably connected therewith- 6. An engine starter apparatus including a drive having a driving member adapted to engage-and crank a member'of the engine to be started, and means for actuating such driving member including an inertia device, in combination with a generator adapted to be operatively connected with and driven by said device.

drive having a driving member adapted to engage and crank amember of the engine to be in combination with a generator adapted to be operatively connected with and driven by such actuating means. v g An engine starter apparatus including a drive having a driving member adapted; to

engage and crank a member of the engine to be started, and means for actuating such driving member including a rotatable inertia device and anelectric motor for rotating such device,

115 7. An engine starter apparatus including a i in combination with a generator adapted to be operatively connected with and driven by such inertia device.

9. An engine starter apparatus including aeratively disconnected from but adapted to e connected with such device at the will of the operatorr 10. An engine starter apparatus including a drivecomprising a driving member adapted' to engage and crank a member of the engine to be started, and means for actuating such drivinfg member including an inertia de-' vice in the orm of a flywheel, 1n comblnatlon with a generator normally operatively discon-' nebted from but adapted to be connected with such flywheel.

11. Anengine starter apparatus including a drive comprisin'g a driving member adapted to engage and crank a member of the engine to be started,-and means for actuating such drivmg member. 1nclud1ng an inertia device in the form of a flywheel, in combination with a generator, and a manually controlled operating connection between the generator and the flywheel. f

12. An engine starter apparatus. including a drive comprising a driving member adapted to engage and crank a member of the engine to be started, means for actuatin such driv ,ing member lncluding an Inertia evlce inthe form of a flywheel, in combination with a generator, and a manually controlled operating connection betweenthe generator and the flywheel comprising gearing including a member slidable into engagement with the flywheel.

13. An engine starter apparatus including a drive comprising a driving member adapted to engage and crank a member of the engine to be started, and means for actuating such driving member including an inertia device in the form of a flywheel, in combination with a generator, and a manually controlled operating connection between the generator and the flywheel comprising gearing including a pinion, said flywheel having gear teeth and said pinion being slidable into mesh with said teeth.

14. An engine starter apparatus including a drive comprising a driving member adapted to engage and crank a member of themgine to be started, power means and manual means operatively connected with such actuating means for the driving thereof by elther of such two means, in combination with a generator adapted to be operatively connected with such actuating means at the will of the operator.

15. An engine starter'apparatus including to engage and crank a member of the engine i to be started, power means and manual means =operatively connected with such actuating means for the driving thereof by eithe such two means, means for disconnecting the power means when the manual means alone is operated, in combination with a generator adapted to be operatively connected with such actuating means at the will of the operator.

16. An engine starter apparatus including a drive comprising a driving member adapted to engage and crank a member of the engine to be started, power means and manual means operatively connected with such actuatingmeans for the driving thereof by either of such two means, in combination with a generator, and a clutch between it and such actuating means for operatively connecting them whereby the generator may be driven whenever either or both the power means and themanual means are operated.

17. An engine starter apparatus including a drive comprisinga driving member adapted to engage and crank a member of the engine to be started, power means and manual means operatively connected with such actuating means for the driving thereof by either of such two means, a clutch for automatically disconnecting the power means when the manual means alone is operated, in combination with a generator, and a clutch between it and such actuating means for operatively connecting them whereby the generator may be driven whenever either or both the power means and the manual means are operated.

18. An engine starter apparatus including a drive comprising a driving member adapted to engage and crank a member of the engine to be started, power means and manualmeans operatively connected withsuch actuating means for the driving thereof. byeither of such two means, a clutch for automatically disconnecting the power means when the manual means alone is operated, in combination wlth a generator, and a manually operated clutch between it and such actuating means for. operatively connecting them whereby the generator may be driven whenever either or both the power means and the manual means are operated.

19. An engine starter apparatus including a drive comprising a driving member adapte a drive comprising a driving member adapted 20. engine starter apparatus including a drivecomprisinga driving member adapted to engage and crank a member of the engine to be started, and actuating means therefor including a toothed wheel, in combination .with a generator having,an armature shaft and a connecting means between the generator and wheel comprising a gear on said ating the pinion, and means for locking such pimon in its normal and in its operated positions respectively.

21. An engine starter apparatus including a drive comprising a driving member adapted to engage and crank a member of the engine to bestarted, and actuating means therefor including a toothed wheel, in combination with a generator having an armature shaft and aconnectmg means between the generator and wheel comprising a gear on said armature shaft, a sliding pinion adapted to be meshed, with said gear and wheel to establish opera-ting connection between them to drive the. generator, a rod for manually operating the pinion, and a latch for looking the rod and pinion in their normal and their operated positions respectively.

22. An engine starter apparatus including a drive comprising a driving member adapted to engage and crank a member of the engine to be started, and actuating means therefor including a toothed wheel, in combination with a generator having an armature shaft and a connecting means between the generator and wheel comprising a gear on said armature shaft, a sliding pinion adapted to be meshed with said gear and wheel to establish operating connection between. them to drive the generator, and means for manually operating the pinion comprising a rod formed in'two sections movable longitudinally one with respect to the other whereby in case of abutting of the teeth of the wheel and pinion and consequent arrest of movement of 'one of such sections the other section can continue its movement. a v

23. An englne starter apparatus including formed in two sections movable longitudinally one with respect to the other whereby in case of abutting of the teeth of the wheel and pinion and consequent arrest of movement of one of such sections the other section can continue its movement,and a spring normally holding such sections extended and adapted to snap the pinion into mesh upon the register of'such teeth following their said abutting.

24. An engine starter apparatus including a drive having a driving member adapted to engageand crank a member of the engine to be started, and means for actuating such driving member while the driving memher is disconnected from the engine member, is combination with a generator operatively connectible with and adapted to be driven by said actuating means and manually controlled operating connections between said actuating means and the generator.

25. An engine starter apparatus including a drive having a driving member adapted to engage and crank a member of the engine to be started, and means for actuating such "driving member while the driving member is disconnected from the engine member, in

combination with a generator, and a manually controlled operating connection between the generator and said actuating means including a part shiftable at the will of the operatorto establish or make driving connect on from said actuating means to said generator.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name.

. WILLIAM L. MCGRATH. 

